My two dads, just one a bit more then the other!
by Iam2UwhatUare2me
Summary: What if Frank had rung the doorbell like Sandy had suggested, what if he hadn't changed as much as he made people believe. Another take on the my two dads!
1. Introduction

What if Frank had, as Sandy had suggested, rung the front door, to talk and meet his son, what if his illness was not the one thing that he had lied about and what if he might not have changed as much as he makes people believe

What if Frank had, as Sandy had suggested, rung the front door, to talk and meet his son, what if his illness was not the one thing that he had lied about and what if he might not have changed as much as he makes people believe.

What if Frank's coming back, messes Ryan's life up more? But he is so desperate in need for his own family, that he doesn't seem to notice?

Another take 'on the my two dads' with a focus on Frank/Ryan.

RyanTaylor!!

First story + Sorry for the grammatical or spelling mistakes, English is my second language (or more my third  )

Disclaimer: All characters of the OC do not belong to me, I just like messing around with them.

1.

"Is Ryan home?" Frank asked, as a kid had answered the door, but after looking at him for a few seconds, was pretty convinced that this was not Ryan. He wasn't sure if he'd even recognise his own kid, it had been a pretty long time, but he knew still, that his son with his blond hair and piercing blue eyes, was not the kid standing in front of him.

"Yeah, sure he's in the pool house. I'll go get him." Seth said, before letting the man come in and turning on his heels, stepping one step and turning back, maybe it was best if he could put a name on the man that was here. "And who are you exactly?" He asked, he was curious that was to say the least, he didn't know the man, and he knew practically everything about Ryan, so why would this guy need Ryan, not Sandy or Kirsten.

"I'm Frank……. Perry." He said, and just as Seth was to turn back around to get Ryan, he suddenly recognised that name.

"Hey, I know you, aren't you like working for my mom?" He asked, now trying to search for a reason why a guy working for his mother, would be here to see Ryan.

"That I am." Frank replied, but while Seth expected something more to come out of his mouth, he didn't say anything else. Seth, deciding that it was for Ryan to figure out why Frank was here to see him, turned this time completely around, walking through towards the pool house.

"Hey, Ryan." He called, out knocking on his door, but entering before Ryan said something.

"Yeah." Ryan replied, appearing with only his trousers on, while he was using a towel to dry his hair a bit. "What's up?" He asked, while he grabbed the shirt laying on his bed.

"Frank's here to see you." Seth replied. "And if this is something about secret messages coming from my mom through Frank, I can only say that I'm so on to you two." Seth added, while Ryan gave him a confused look, pulling the t-shirt over his head. "You really don't know why he's here?"

"No, I've never seen nor talked to him before." Ryan answered as they left the pool house.

"Well, he's here to see you, so." Seth said, not finishing his sentence as they had just entered the house, and he noticed that Frank had not exactly remained standing in the hall.

"Ryan." Frank said, and as Seth sensed by how he said it that he would surely know Ryan, Ryan put two steps back, not sure what to suspect about this, all he knew one thing, this man looked awfully a lot like his dad, and if there was one person on the planet that he had intended on never seeing again, well then that had seemed to fail.

"Are you okay?" Seth asked his brother, as he seemed quiet stricken, confused, and a slight glimpse of fear was seen too, whoever this man was, Ryan had been wrong to say that he hadn't seen him before.

"You're not Frank Perry, are you?" Ryan stated out the obvious to him, which got Seth confused but Frank just nodded.

"You're right, I'm not" He answered as Seth's gaze went from one to another, declining the idea to joke around, considering this all seemed pretty serious, he would have left them alone, if not that he was afraid what would happen if he did.

"I guess I deserve such a cold reunion." Frank said, as things were starting to get clearer in Seth's head, and he now even knew better that he was not letting those two here alone.

"What are you doing here?" Ryan asked, while a sudden movement from Frank to come closer to him, caused him to put another step back, something that did not go unnoticed by both Frank and Seth.

"I just wanted to know how my son's doing, is that such a bad thing?" Frank said, a small hinge of frustration and anger sneaking inside his voice, and for Seth to have his fear confirmed, Ryan was right to state that his name wasn't Frank Perry, Mr. Atwood, had decided to suddenly make contact with his son again, now Ryan's life had finally seemed to have stabilized again.


	2. Protecting

Thanks for your reviews, keep them coming

Thanks for your reviews, keep them coming!!

Here's the next part.

2.

"_What are you doing here?" Ryan asked._

"_I just wanted to know how my son's doing, is that such a bad thing?"_

"It took you long enough." Ryan replied, as he looked over to Seth, who seemed for once to be very good to show his emotions off on just his look, and Ryan understood that he was asking him whether he was okay with Frank being here. Ryan smiled slightly, wondering where the hell, Seth started to become the protective brother.

"I was in jail, Ryan, you refused all those years to come visit me, I don't think my letter would ever convince you to do." Frank replied.

"How did you find me?" Ryan questioned, knowing now that Frank working for Kirsten was just a way to get to him, he remembered very well that his father had never been stupid, the boozes and drunkenness had only made him look that way.

"Social services. Ryan, I am your father, the least you could do is understand that I'd want to see you." Frank replied, and while Seth found his answer to that way too short, it made Frank also seem a bit easy, a long wide story about how he would've found him, would except seem creepy, also make him seem someone who really worked on searching for his son, which could ultimately only help, although they were indeed two sides on that story.

"Well, you sure didn't act like one before." Ryan replied, still refusing his father to come nearer him, while Seth, being completely left out of the conversation, which he didn't really mind, had gradually seemed to have gotten closer to Ryan, ready to step between Ryan and his father, if necessary. He didn't know how this would be turning out, all he knew was that you couldn't exactly be talking about a happy reunion right now.

"Ryan…" Frank sighed, and Seth wondered why he was speaking Ryan's name so many times, in every sentence Ryan's name came forth, never kid, or son, always just Ryan.

"I know I haven't been a good father to you, but you've got to believe me when I tell you that I'm changed."

Seth realised that that sounded pretty true, considering all those years he had pictured Ryan's father to be this big, strong, tattooed, drunken, …. Monster, and standing in front of him was a clear sober, well dressed, calm guy. "What do you want from me?" Ryan asked, and Seth's gaze went back to him, and noticed that his words might not show it, but his face did, it was not that he was angry, it was more that he was upset, distraught, and very uncomfortable.

"To talk, I want to get to know you." Frank stated out the obvious.

"I can't. I'm sorry, I just, maybe later, but not now." Ryan replied, and Seth was almost glad he said that, although the guy seemed to appear normal, the past that hung over this was unforgettable, Seth couldn't see past the fact that this man, however he looked like, was deep inside, still a guy who had hit his own wife and kids, multiple times.

"Just for a few minutes." Frank said, but Ryan shook his head.

"I think it's best if you just leave." He answered, which appeared to shock Frank only a slight bit, he had probably anticipated this already at first, but he made no sign of leaving, seeing this, Ryan, looked over to Seth, before walking away himself.

"Ryan." Frank protested, walking after his son, but Seth blocked his way.

"I think I heard him say that he wanted you to leave." Seth replied, as Ryan turned back to see what was going on, Frank really seemed to have changed, but that could also just be appearance, and for that, he did not want to leave Seth alone with him.

"Who are you? His bodyguard?" Frank answered, frustrated that this kid was blocking his way to talk to his son, one that he hadn't seen in years. He understood why Ryan did not want to see him, but at the end he still stayed his father, every boy wanted a father.

"I'm his brother." Seth replied, not looking over to Ryan to see his reaction, as Frank's reaction was pretty interesting too.

"Ryan, I know this probably is too soon for you, I know you have some trust issues, but I'm working here now, living here too, you can't avoid me forever, there will come a point when you realise you can trust me." Frank said, seemingly ignoring Seth's words, yet visibly shocked by them.

"Oh, but I'm not that sure, if you will continue having a job here." Seth commented, knowing that as soon as his mother would found out about this, she'd think twice about having Frank working with her.

"Seth." Ryan said, coming back towards the two off them, he was surprised by Seth's reaction by now, but had known before that Seth had once many years ago, promised him to have his back, and he had not let that promise down, he knew that saying that he didn't want to talk to his father with Seth by his side, would cause Seth to make sure that that didn't happen too, but if his father was really changed, he did not want him to lose his job, although Kirsten finding out about his real identity would probably be forced to do so nonetheless, not just because he was his father, but because Frank Atwood, had a crime record, and a quiet long one too. "He doesn't …." He didn't continue, knowing that saying he doesn't mean that, was a total lie, and Frank would know that too.

"It's okay, I wasn't expecting on keeping that job anyway, I don't think Kirsten or even Julie will be so welcome to have me, once knowing that I'm Frank Atwood. That doesn't mean that I won't try to get another one here, I'm starting to like it here."

"You don't like it here, you just want to see Ryan." Seth stated, and although Frank didn't seem to like this boy talking so harshly, Ryan had to admit that he did.

"Well, I guess that's partly true." Frank said, and he smiled again, momentarily letting a part of his frustration slipping out, but knowing that that was surely not a good way to get Ryan trust him, or even this other boy, Seth or something like that. He knew he had to show people around here that he could be trusted, but he had never guessed something like this to happen, a boy calling Ryan his brother, it was like he was a part of this family. "I just want to talk and get to know my own kid, I know I need to prove myself, but I can't do that, if you don't give me a chance." He said, and this time his words, seemed to have gotten at least Ryan to understand him partly.

"I want to give you the chance, but …. I …"

"I get it, not now, I'll just come by another time." He stated, as he forced another smile on his face and this time turned around to leave, not one of the boys following him as he walked towards the door, not one of them to be seen as he got back in his rented car, and drove off, if he wanted himself to be back in Ryan's life, he'd obviously have to try harder.


	3. Interrogating

I want to say thank you to all of you who read and reviewed this story

I want to say thank you to all of you who read and reviewed this story. I know that writing your first story and in a language you normally don't speak, it surely can be done better, so that is why I am thrilled to see that you seem to enjoy it.

Here is chapter three

3.

Frank had been wrong, completely wrong. He had thought that Ryan was just living with this family, he had never expected him to be part of it. He had never thought that this boy would refer to him as a brother, and now he thought about it, Kirsten talking about him as her own son.

_Flashback._

"_You've got any kids?" Kirsten asked, wanting to know the man she was hiring a bit more._

"_Two boys." He stated, hoping that that factor would maybe make her trust him a bit more, at the end people with kids, were mostly said to be more responsible then those without. "How about you?"_

"_I've got two boys too." _

_End Flashback._

He had suspected to find two boys, at her house, and then his own kid, feeling comfortable, thanks to the years living here, but not to see this as his own family.

Who could have ever guessed his own son to fit in this environment, it could only appoint to Ryan having changed more then Frank had firstly thought and hoped.

"Frank Perry." A man said, as someone had rung his door and he had opened; revealing a man who seemed familiar, but he could not place it. He nodded, opening his door more. "Or should I say Frank Atwood….I'm Sandy Cohen." The man replied, not shaking Frank's hand and not wanting to enter either.

Sandy Cohen, husband of Kirsten, father of Seth Cohen, and apparently his own son too, Frank realised. He now knew where he had seen his face before, the photo he had seen on Kirsten's desk. "I guess I know why you're here."

"You're Ryan's father." Sandy stated, and Frank smirked.

"Weird, I'm getting the idea that you are." He replied, as he made a gesture for Sandy to come in, and after a few seconds of doubt Sandy followed his lead. "Look, I know I've got a lot of explaining to do." Frank stated, as only Sandy's face already told him, that he didn't trust him the single bit.

"I know you're here to see Ryan, I know you've already done that, and I know that he doesn't want to see you again, not right away." Sandy said, and Frank nodded.

"Why did you come here?" Frank asked him, and that caught Sandy off guard for just a short period, he didn't totally know what he was doing here, he had just hoped to have known Frank's arrival in town before Frank would have decided to pay his son a visit, at least then Ryan would have been able to be prepared, know what was hanging above his head, now that it had been so unpredicted, Sandy knew that the contact could have probably been a lot better then.

"I guess I just wanted to meet you." He said.

"Look, I know that I need to win his trust, and yours, and that I need to prove myself, but … I can't do that, if you don't give me a shot."

"Well, you come here, you lie about your name, about everything, it's not a good way to start." Sandy stated, while he was looking closely at the man. He had always pictured him completely different in his head.

"I know, I just… I wouldn't have gotten a job if I hadn't." Frank replied, hoping that Sandy would understand that. "I wanted Ryan to meet someone else then some unemployed and broke guy, I wanted him to see that I'm different."

"Look, I understand your reasons, but until I know for sure that Ryan wants to see you, I want you to stay away from him." Sandy said.

"What if he never wants to see me, despite the fact that I'm changed, despite everything."

"I'm sorry." Sandy replied, being pretty sure that Ryan would want to see his father eventually, he knew he wasn't ready yet, although Ryan would not say, Frank most likely would just have to wait.


	4. A change of heart

4

4.

"Hey, are you okay?" Taylor asked Ryan, as she went to sit beside him on the couch, giving him a kiss and squeezing his thigh as she did.

"Well, ….."

"Couldn't really expect you to be, with daddy dearest popping up, I guess it was about time to have another family member show up, right." She said and he smiled slightly, nodding as she nestled herself with her head on his chest, and he wrapped an arm around her. "And what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know, I told him I didn't want to see him again, I guess I'll stick to that."

"Ryan, you're father's here, you should at least talk to him once, he wants to make things better, he's at least trying." She replied, and he knew she was remembering her own father, the jerk who had left his family and had never returned, uninterested about his daughter.

"You're right, I just …"

"Even if it's just to make him clear what a total jerk he is, and to tell him that you never want to see him again, one talk can't hurt."

"I need to see him to tell him that I don't want to see him?" Ryan questioned, and she hit him playfully.

"You know exactly what I mean, you've got to face him, tell him how much better your life is without him, which is very true. Ryan you've got your family now, we both know that, but he's your dad, the blood related one anyway, face him. It'll feel good." She assured him.

"Are you sure, _you_ don't want to face him?" Ryan questioned.

"That's a tempting proposal, but no. But if you want, I'll bring you there, so that I can give you some pep talk on the way there. I've got some amazing one-liners to talk him down." She smiled, their relationship was fresh, but it was deepening quickly, and as much as she was through with quick commitment, marriage didn't seem all that romantic anymore, with Ryan everything felt just right, finally.

"Yeah, that could help." He said, realising that somewhere in their conversation he had decided that maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to talk to him, he had always wanted to face his father, and talk to him about how a shitty job he did of being a father, but first when he had been young he had been way too scared to do that, and then, he didn't feel the need to do it anymore, but now…… maybe Taylor was right.

"Have you talked to Sandy about him yet?"

"Briefly, he said that whatever I decided to do, he'd stand behind the decision, but then again, he seemed to really agree with me not wanting to see him."

"Well, he's Sandy, he feels that his family is threatened by him." Taylor said, and Ryan looked at her quiet curious. "Oh, comm'n Ryan, he feels that if Frank really is changed, he can't stop you from becoming close to him, yet he feels himself like a father for you, he doesn't want his relationship with you to change. And if Frank's not changed, he'd do everything to protect you." Taylor said, suddenly starting to realise that she really was being the wise one right now, that hadn't happened much before.

"I guess, I haven't looked at it that way."

"You need to see your father, and you need to talk to Sandy about this. Well, ……" She stopped for a while, she always advised Ryan to do what he wanted and she suddenly realised that she might be putting her own will on him too much. "You need to do what you want, like Sandy, I'll stand behind you, no matter what you decide."

"I want to talk to him." Ryan said, the first words to Sandy when he entered his office, carrying lunch with him. He had just learned through Kirsten about his father's disease, full well knowing that hearing it from his father would have made him doubt whether or not it was really so, but trusting Kirsten when she told him that it was true. Taking that and Taylor's advice in, he decided that he wanted to talk to him, but not before talking with Sandy.

"Of course." Sandy replied, knowing immediately that Kirsten had told him, no matter how hard he had tried to stop her, he couldn't really say that he believed Frank, coming up with it, only after Ryan refused to see him, but although trying to find a way to check the story up, not immediately coming up with one. He didn't want that to be the only reason why Ryan was searching out contact with his father, only later to learn that it wasn't even true, Ryan had been through enough this year. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, it's just, I was really thinking about facing him and then just you know, tell him what's on my mind, not really caring about whether that could hurt his feelings, but now that he's dying, I … I don't know what to say to him." He said, taking a seat while he pulled out their lunch from the bag that he was holding.

"You should tell him what you want to tell him, don't let anything stop that." Sandy replied, not planning on showing Ryan his suspicion, he'd have to be sure before he made any accusations, but he did not want this possible lie, to stop Ryan from doing what he wanted to.

"I figured you'd say that."

"But it doesn't really help." Sandy replied, having learned over the course of the years, to not find how Ryan was feeling through his words, but through his appearance, and through what he knew that learned about him from experience.

"I know I'm supposed to have a lot of questions but … I don't know, I just don't."

"Well, Ryan, you do know that if you still don't want to see him then .."

"No, no, I want to talk to him, I do, I just don't know what to talk about." He interrupted, and Sandy nodded slightly.

"And you came to me, thinking that I might help?"

"I came to you, because I know that …… I can always come to you, my dad showing up doesn't change that, it won't." Ryan said and for the first time in a while Sandy smiled, while meaning it, maybe he did fear that this might damage his relationship with Ryan and he didn't want that. He loved that kid like his own son, Ryan felt like his own son, he was afraid that Ryan getting his real father back, would change that. Maybe he was exaggerating in all of this, maybe accusing Frank was more because he wanted him to be wrong, then to think that he was lying.

"You want me to ride with you when you go talk to him?" Sandy questioned, and Ryan smirked slightly, amused by how everyone seemed to be willing to drive him, first Taylor, then Kirsten, now Sandy, and he was sure that if he talked to anyone else, they'd pose the same thing too. Maybe it was the fear of realising through his father, that he didn't fit in here as much as he felt like it, that held him back the most. "You don't?" Sandy questioned after getting no real reply.

"It's not that I don't want you to, it's that I know that it's best if I do this alone." He replied, and although Sandy might be a bit disappointed, at least he understood it.

"All right, you want me to call him?" Sandy questioned now, and again Ryan gave him only a thoughtful look except of an answer. "Or not?"

"It's just that Kirsten already probably called him by now, I don't really know why, but she assured me that that was probably better." Ryan replied and Sandy immediately realised Kirsten thoughts behind it, oh well, it was probably true that him calling Frank could have him to let a few off his own thoughts shine through during that conversation.


	5. Awkward

5

5. Awkward

"Hi." Frank said, as he noticed his son entering the diner and walking towards him, no Sandy, Kirsten or anyone else to be seen.

"Hi." Ryan replied, as both men stood somewhat uncomfortable next to each other, before sitting down. "So …" Ryan stated but then stopped as he would've started by saying something about his father's cancer, but then decided that that might not be the best way of starting a conversation.

"I heard you are working in some kind of Mexican place?" Frank began, hoping that would be a casual enough start.

"I heard you were working for Kirsten." Ryan replied. "How did you get that?"

"A friend, who was in jail with me gave me the job, his name's Bullit, that's also why I found you, ran Kirsten's name through social services, after learning that she had a kid named Ryan." Frank replied, and Ryan nodded slightly, thinking about how if Frank had never been friends with Bullit, maybe he hadn't found Ryan at all, maybe he hadn't even tried. "I know what you're thinking, I got lucky finding you, but I wanted to find you, you're my son, I would've done everything just to see you again." He replied, hoping that that wouldn't sound creepy either.

"I'm sorry that you're sick." Ryan suddenly said and Frank looked up at him surprised. "I guess I've never really thought about how you were, while you were in jail, but you seem to be doing good, and I'm sorry that well … well it's not going to last long." Ryan replied, never being good with putting his emotions in words, but his father seemed really changed and it was sad that being out of prison, he only had a probable maximum of four months to live.

"It's fine, I guess … I guess it's my aura catching up with me." Frank replied, wanting to stay off this topic as much he could, it was bad enough to lie about it, worse if their entire conversation was going to be about it.

"You sat eight years in jail, you've been punished enough for that."

"That was for armed robbery, I'm talking about everything before that." Frank responded immediately and their conversation had started to suddenly become a lot tenser, Ryan feeling a lot more uncomfortable as just a few seconds prior.

"You know what, euhm, why don't you come to eat at the Cohens?" Ryan questioned, it wasn't that he didn't want to sit with his father alone, no wait, that was exactly what this was, he did not want to talk to his father on his own, having the Cohens around and Taylor, would at least soften the atmosphere that was hanging around them. Their past was too dark for him to talk about right now.

"Yeah sure, that'd be great. Ryan, are you okay?" Frank asked, as he watched thoughts brewing in Ryan's head but as usual he didn't say them, then he suddenly realised that he had hammered that into his son, had viciously put his son's thoughts down, as he hadn't really liked them, causing Ryan to just completely shut up, now eight years later, he was still somewhat like that.

"Yeah, I am, I just realised that I …. Gotta go, so, why don't you come tomorrow evening, I'll let Kirsten give you a call."

"Ryan, I'm sorry, I guess I shouldn't have said that."

"Bye." Ryan replied, standing up quickly, and getting out of the diner, before his father or Frank, cause however he put it, Frank didn't feel like his father anymore, he had faced enough people in his life, to realise that that was not such a bad thing to think, he had a right to think that way, however that did not mean that he couldn't learn to appreciate him around, he really wanted to have at least one family member, that stuck around, and did not cause too much mess in Newport.


	6. Shock

6. Shock

Great, so she had brought something new, luckily she had found something, cause she had no idea what to wear this evening, not that she didn't have any new cloths, just, what were you supposed to wear, when your boyfriends, ex- abusive and addictive father, who just came out of jail, visits? And she had just found the perfect thing, she thought, oh my god, what if it wasn't, what if it was too plain, too casual? Or … oh no, more shopping needed apparently. She'd just have a quick drink and then she'd be ready for the next few hours, oh she wished now she hadn't told Summer that she'd be fine, she was so not. She had only four hours, till she had to be there, this was never going to work.

She choose a good bar, entered it, finding an empty spot quickly, before noticing a guy sitting in front of the bar, a beer in front of him, she didn't know why she was looking at him, except for the fact that she was, and she found him looking awfully familiar, like not she had seen him before, but like a relative who looked a lot like …… her boyfriend.

"Excuse me, aren't you Frank?" She asked, not knowing if she should, but yet doing so as she had already stood up and walked to him, before even thinking about what to say or what to do.

"And you are?" The man in question asked, turning towards her, and she faced his blue eyes. Wow, that was certainly not the type of guy she had suspected Ryan's father to be.

"Euhm, I know your son, he … is that a beer?" She suddenly asked, having known this before, but not having thought about what that really meant, and what did it mean, wasn't he supposed to be sober for years? Didn't one drink mostly let to more, wasn't an ex-addict, always and addict, just one that didn't take a sip, every day ready to become the same addict as he had been?

Hadn't Frank claimed that it was the drank that had driven him to multiply his anger, and point it to his wife and kids? "You're drinking alcohol?" She questioned, taking a step back away from him as she had no idea what to do with that information. If she told Ryan, she didn't know how he'd react, but if Sandy knew, he wouldn't ever let Frank close to Ryan again, well … maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

"I, you know my son … well?"

"Well, enough to know that you're supposed to be sober." She said, before putting another few steps back, but just when she wanted to turn around he grabbed her arm, releasing that immediately when she looked freaked out.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"What the hell are you doing? You know that I was the one that pushed Ryan to talk to you, god I'm such an idiot, you had us fooled big time, but not anymore, okay, cause you know as good as I do, that leaving this information, in Kirsten's, Sandy's, Seth's, or even Ryan's arms …… you'll be moved out of his life forever." She said.

"It was one beer, comm'n, I love my son, and I've been in prison for eight years, could you get me at least the chance to proof myself, that I can be good?"

"I'm sorry, but who is not proving himself, right now?" She questioned, as she was starting to see the violent trick that Frank must possess, what she did know too, that he was suppressing it, she was able to take away, all that he wanted for a while now, that surely must piss him off, and although you couldn't say that he was calm, he was at least, normal, so maybe he really had changed, just not really on the drinking type of thing, but like he said, was a beer enough to keep him away from Ryan, forever?

"Look, I'm nervous okay, this night I'm having diner with him, and the family he's staying with, and they all will judge me, weighing me up, to see if I'm worth talking to Ryan, and I never was a good person handling with stress and frustration. But I do, okay, I handle, because I just want to do this, all right, give me a chance." He said, completely calm by now, his face full of worry, and a glint of sadness, and maybe a bit, but only a slide bit, she probably made that up but hey, of plead.

"You come to diner, but you come clean about the beer to Ryan, let him make his mind up about what that means." She stated, before turning around walking away quickly, deciding that she would not be needing any other cloths, making a good impression, was not necessary anymore, she had that covered already, she just hoped she was doing the right thing.


	7. Having a secret

7

7. Having a secret

"Are you okay?" He asked and she could really hit herself on the head right now, he was not supposed to have any focus on her this night, although well of course some focus, but no more.

"Yeah, fine, don't worry, just a little anxious to meet your dad. I mean, do you think he'll like me, I mean, sometimes when I get nervous I talk too much and I know you don't mind it, because well, you're Ryan, and I know he's your dad, so you must have like this little bit of a resemblance, but then again, I mean, look at you, you're not exactly like him, so I guess I just …"

"Taylor, my dad's hasn't seen a woman for eight years, he'll like you." Ryan replied, as he kissed her lightly, and she smiled, Ryan was the guy that could make your problems who you make up even go away with just one sentence, that was pretty rare.

"I know, I just…" She was suddenly not sure if she was doing the right thing anymore, for Ryan for his father, for their relationship. Would Ryan forgive her, knowing that she didn't tell him? Would Frank be able to tell it at all? What if he didn't? What if it was up to her to ruin the evening? She was never good at that, she didn't want to be good at that, she didn't want to do that. "I'm just a little nervous, this is like, the first major milestone of our relationship and I don't want it ruined."

"It won't get ruined." He assured her, and although she smiled, acting like she bought that, she knew he had no idea how ruined this evening was going to be, god damnit, stupid Frank, even without raising your son, you are still able to make his life and the lives of people around him, this whole lot of bit complicated.

"Hey Ryan … Taylor." Seth said coming into the kitchen, first noticing Ryan and then Taylor, he had actually hoped to catch Ryan alone, wanted to talk about keeping himself on the background, as in very background as in away. The only thing he was able of doing this evening was fucking it up. He did not like Ryan's father, not only because of his past actions, but also about how he did not like that man, and knowing himself, he was not good at faking, he did not want that man in this house, and he would not be able to keep that thought down below, not letting it shine through, for that, he found it better if he did not attend the diner, yet then again, if he was not there, he couldn't support Ryan, in everything that he choose, and he didn't want to let him down either. It was that one look that he threw towards Taylor, that made him realise, that maybe he wasn't entirely alone in this.

"Hi." They both replied, an uncomfortable silence following. "I'm gonna set the table." Taylor suddenly decided although not very familiar with this house, and for that not knowing where everything was put, nor how the table had to be decorated, she found it better to have something to do then to stand still, and let her thoughts take her over.

"I'll help." Seth immediately replied, hoping the get one minute to talk to Taylor about this dinner, and knowing that alone, she'd probably be at a total loss. He smiled slightly suddenly remembering the time where he had hated everything about this girl, or had been totally shocked to find out she wanted Ryan and even more so when he realised that it wasn't even an entirely bad match. Taylor had turned out to be the girl that Ryan needed, who had thought that.

"All right, I'm gonna find Sandy." Ryan said, as he watched his girlfriend and friend closely, before turning right on his heels and walking out the kitchen, just when Taylor opened a closet, looking at Seth with a question in her look, as to where the plates really where.

"Just as enthusiastic about this as I am?" Seth questioned her, while he opened the right cabinet and she got six plates out.

"You have no idea." She sighed, while putting the plates down on the platform in the middle.

"Aren't you anxious to meet your future father-in-law?" Seth questioned.

"No, not really, I …. Can you keep a secret?" She suddenly questioned.

"Me, I'm the secret man, you know that right? Except if it's something with Ryan … and of course it's something about Ryan." He rambled, having seen enough confirmation to figure that out in her look. "I can't keep a secret from Ryan, he's like .. his piercing eyes, he knows everything." Seth stuttered, and she sighed again, picking up the plates and walking outside to put them on the table. All right, so she was keeping this to herself, that was obvious.


	8. Keeping the secret

8

8. Keeping the secret

"I don't like him." Kirsten stated, when with the excuse of clearing plates, she joined Sandy in the kitchen.

"What? I don't like him, you like him, all laughing and sharing memories, and joking." Sandy replied, as he thought he had been quiet alone with those thoughts. The man was charming, funny, nice, yet there was something about him that he didn't like, considering all the rest at the table were so enjoying themselves, he had hid that from them, dismissing his thoughts, as clear signs, that he was afraid to be less father, the more father Frank became.

"Sandy, there will come a time in your life, when you'll realise that I don't like half the people living here, yet I pretend to be their friend, it's how you get to survive in this place."

"Well, I don't do that, and I'm still alive."

"That's because you're Sandy Cohen." Kirsten replied. "You can afford to do that, or you don't care that you don't have any friends." She continued, and he looked offended. "It's paranoia, right?" She questioned suddenly. "The fact that we don't like him?"

"I don't know, I mean I thought it was paranoia, being alone with it. We're his parents, and this guy has not done anything wrong for us to distrust him."

"Nothing? He used to hit Ryan." Kirsten replied immediately.

"And that's why you're being paranoia, you and me both, by the way. But we should realise too, that Frank can be changed, look at Ryan, he's far from the kid that we brought in our house."

"Ryan's just a boy, and he's still the silent kid, who sometimes uses his fists better then his words, he's a good kid, but he was that also before, Sandy."

"All right, bad comparisation, I'm just saying, that we haven't given him the chance, we've talked with him now for three almost four hours, and he hasn't done anything that would normally cause us to dislike him."

"So what are you going to do?" Kirsten asked, taking a plate up, shoving another one to him, for him to pick up.

"I'm going to go back, talk and act like I like the guy." Sandy replied before taking up the plate and walking out of the kitchen, while Kirsten gave herself a few seconds to think this through. Sandy was right, like so many times, yet there was still this feeling inside of her that told her to not let Frank come close to Ryan, for it would cause him hurt, and if there was one thing that Ryan had had enough from for his entire life, it was that.

"Taylor, are you hiding in the kitchen?" Seth asked, as he came into the kitchen, getting the desert but also planning to search for Taylor, who without giving a real good explanation had disappeared from the table a few minutes earlier.

"No." She replied, while he found her standing still, staring outside to see how Frank patted Ryan on the back and them and his parents all laughed jointly. "Maybe a little." She confessed as she noticed how he wasn't really buying that.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I mean, he's nice, he can make Ryan laugh, he causes even Kirsten to be funny, and he's causing everyone to have a good time." She said, her gaze going back towards Frank and the rest sitting outside.

"And that's bad?" Seth questioned, although agreeing with Taylor, he noticed that everyone really was having a good time, except himself probably, there was just something about this guy, he didn't know what it was, but it didn't really make Seth like him.

"Well, no." Taylor replied, while meaning yes, it was impossible for her to like him, yet everybody else seemed to, so the thought of ruining this all by what had happened this afternoon, it was just bad, maybe she could wait with it, could give him more time to figure out how to tell Ryan.


	9. Giving permission, or not

9

9. Giving permission, or not?

"So, what do we do?" Kirsten asked, as they stood together in the kitchen, just a few minutes after they had stood up together, the previous night both having decided that after a night's rest they would have a better perspective on the matter, how Frank had asked them, if he could take Ryan with him on a trip, a day out, just the two of them.

"Let Ryan make up his mind about this, if he wants to go, we can't stop him."

"Yeah, but can't one of us two go along, or even Seth or Taylor?" Kirsten asked, she was just not liking the whole idea of Frank alone with Ryan, she didn't know what he was planning to do, but she was already not approving it, letting the paranoia overtake her, she decided that being Ryan's parent, she was allowed to be paranoia with everything, as long as it was within limits.

"Frank asked for him and Ryan, we wouldn't be exactly nice if we forced him to take someone else with him." Sandy stated.

"Talking about Frank's planned trip?" Seth asked, having caught the last part while coming into the kitchen taking the cereal out of the cabinet and a bowl out of another one, setting it down, while facing both his parents. He was not entirely liking the idea himself, and having heard the fact that both Kirsten and Sandy wanted to make someone go with them, he had discovered he wasn't the only one. He found it confusing that his parents thought like that, considering they had been the one who had been so enjoying themselves yesterday, acting as if they knew Frank for years and liked him very much.

"Well, you don't have to take us the wrong way, Seth, we're just concerned about Ryan that's all." Kirsten said, as she was sorry that her son caught the fact that they still did not trust Frank, while he seemingly did.

"Oh that's fine, I could go along." Seth stated, having had that idea in his mind ever since Frank had asked it, if Frank wanted to be part of this family, he'd have to get along with everyone, Seth stated, hoping that that would be an excuse enough to go along.

"Oh no, it is fine, we trust Frank, we just, maybe Ryan would want to take Taylor along or something."

"Mom, I get it, you don't trust him, that's fine." Seth replied, which took both of his parents a bit back. Just before his mom wanted to reply something to that, probably to explain it a bit, and to stammer that it wasn't like they didn't trust him at all, Seth continued. "Mom, the guy pops up out of nowhere, wants to talk to his son, which you let him, and then comes to diner, which you let him, and then wants to take Ryan alone on a trip? And that all on a span of a few days? You're his parents now, if you don't trust the guy, you don't, if you don't want him to spend a day alone with his son, or just not yet, you don't let him, it's that simple."

"Do I hear there some kind of agreement that we all don't trust Frank?" Sandy questioned, looking closely over to his son.

"I don't like him, that's all. Like he was talking yesterday, it was as if he was still Ryan's father, knowing what was good for his son, and claiming to be a good father, he didn't at all take in the fact that Ryan's part of this family now…… but that's then again probably me, I'm just being paranoia." Seth stated.

"That's it, that's it." Sandy suddenly almost yelled, pointing happily to his son, who had been able to figure out why exactly it was that Sandy did not like the guy. "Paranoia, the hell with it, this is a family and as a family we've voted against this." Sandy stated.

"Sandy, it's not that simple, all right Frank may have not understood the fact that Ryan's part of this family, but haven't you realised that that might be because Frank wants to be Ryan's family? As a father, he doesn't want to admit yet, that he lost his son, to us, some rich strange family, who doesn't understand anything of life in Chino."

"She's right, dad. It doesn't give us a reason to decide something for Ryan. If Ryan wants to take the trip, we should let him, Ryan can make those decisions himself, no matter what we think or want." Seth replied, with a wisdom, he nor his parents had known he had.


	10. Outburst number one

I know, I know, it's been a while and I am sorry, I got a little too involved with my other stories, but I swear I never forgot about this one!!

So here it goes; are we finally getting to see some piece of the real Frank?

10. Outburst number one

"Ryan, you've made it." Frank said happily, relieved that his son, although half an hour too late, had showed up.

"Yep." Ryan stated, Kirsten and Sandy had given him the complete decision, and Ryan had chosen to go, why exactly he did not know, because deep in side, he had realised that although his father was obviously changed for the better, that did not say that he liked him so much, maybe it was because comparing Frank with Sandy was what he got used to doing, and that his father didn't really win, he didn't know. All he did know was that he was glad, that at least one person of his old family seemed to get along with his new family, both Sandy and Kirsten having shown and said that his father was not as bad as anticipated, and that said something.

"All right, well I hired a boat."

"A boat?" Ryan exclaimed, suddenly not that looking forward to this day anymore, him and his father and the sea, that would be all today. He knew what his father was trying to do, fishing was one of the few trips that they used to take, he also remembered Frank's competitive side then, years ago already wanting to win from his sons of six and eight, or a bit older.

"Yeah, we're going fishing, you used to love that." Frank exclaimed, and Ryan wondered who his father was more lying to, his son or himself?

*"I'm so glad Sandy and Kirsten suggested doing this, it's been too long ago." Frank said, a few hours later, as far as Ryan knew they were in the middle of the sea, although luckily he still saw the coast behind him, his father and him had taken out the lines, and Ryan, never being a good fisher, never having liked fishing, had been able to catch exactly nothing, his father a few.

"They did?" Ryan questioned, wondering where the hell they got the idea to go fishing, he himself had, not that he remembered anyway, never talked about fishing, or at least not in the positive sentence.

"Yeah, they wanted to give some time alone." Frank answered and Ryan watched him for a few seconds thoughtful before noticing that he might have caught a fish, finally. Slowly taking the line in his father came over to stand beside him.

"You think you've got a big one?" He asked, while Ryan threw him a questioning look, although by the trouble it gave him to take his line in, knowing already that it was a pretty big one. "All right, why don't you give the line to me, then I'll take him in." Frank said, but Ryan finally having something to do, except staring at the sea and answering his father's questions, and noticing how he seemed to be doing good, continued taking the line in.

"I have it, why don't you take something to put him in." Ryan replied, and although Frank didn't seem to agree he did turn away to get something, while Ryan realised he was coming to the end of his line, and yes, finally a fish appeared, it wasn't as big as he had expected, but that didn't mean that it was at least two times as big as the fish his father had caught, that said, it was also quiet the disgusting fish, as Ryan did not remember what to do exactly he took the line just above the fish in his hand and put his stick down, taking the fish with one hand, and trying the get the hook out of his mouth with the other. The fish, being very much alive was very slippery, and before Ryan could realise what he had done wrong, except doing this above the boat, the fish escaped falling back in the water and swimming away quickly, just at the point where his father came to stand beside him again.

"What the hell are you doing?" He yelled, causing Ryan to almost jump back, but not be so surprised, it was as if he was ten again, having made an extremely terrible mistake of life and death in front of his father's eyes, the only difference was there was no booze with him this time.

"I told you to let me do it." He continued softer, but clearly not that happy anymore, maybe Ryan was wrong, maybe this would never just work out. Doing something with Sandy, and also with the rest, always felt comfortable, full of laughs, where he did not get reminded by the fact that yes, he did not talk as much, people had taken the time to realise that he was not good with words, but that did not mean that they couldn't see how he was feeling. A trip with his new family, went good, even when they argued, discussed or did something wrong. A trip with his father, was stressful, he did not know what to say or do, he felt like a stupid eight-year old, all over again, the only difference was that on former trips with his father, he had not wished to be home, home was just as worse.


	11. Apology accepted?

So sorry that I haven't updated this in a while and I'm sorry that it is so short, but the next update will come soon and will be long, I promise.

11. Apology accepted?

"I'm sorry." Was the first thing Frank said, when they finally put feet on land again, more then four hours after Frank's outburst, after which nothing had really helped to put the atmosphere back to the, not enjoyable, but at least better, atmosphere before.

"What are you sorry about?" Ryan questioned, although suspecting it to be his father's outburst, he wasn't quiet certain he could believe that his father would apologise for something so minor like that. He had never done that before anyway.

"I wanted so much of this day, I'm sorry it didn't work out, maybe it was a bit too soon. I don't know, but I do know that you haven't really enjoyed yourself and I'm sorry for that." Frank stated.

"Why don't we do it slower, like why don't we go see a movie someday, it doesn't necessarily have to be just you and me, you can take Seth with you if you like, I know he's your friend." Frank continued, and Ryan did not know what to make out of this. He felt compelled to the idea, knowing that that was something they didn't used to do, so it was not fully pecked with bad memories. Taking Seth with would be a good idea, if Ryan hadn't noticed enough that Seth and Frank were never going to work it out, maybe Taylor wanted to go. At the end she had been the one advising him to talk to his father, she would surely able to make uncomfortable silences go away and she talked enough for both him and her, that could work.

"Yeah, sure, why don't I take Taylor with me." He replied, noticing or later on dismissing it as imagining, a muscle pulling tightly around his father's mouth. "You don't want me to take Taylor?" Ryan questioned, knowing that the muscle pulling thing was a sign of his father not quiet agreeing.

"No, no of course she can come, I'd like to get to know the girl that has captured my son's heart." Frank stated, although as far as Ryan remembered from the diner two days ago, his father had succeeded in completely ignoring Taylor, and she had never said something to him directly, was that all uncomfortable imagination? Probably, because why would Taylor of his father have some sort of discussion already?

It was that in the future he might not have a chance to get to know this new father, or else he would have told Frank to wait a while. It was the fact that his father was now a dying man that Ryan would forgive and forget the small, sometimes a bit bigger, mistakes his father made.

He couldn't really say that he had minded the fact that his father had been out of his life, but now suddenly the prospect of that to happen again, alone made him like the man a lot more. Ryan had a few months, to make his father realise that he could be proud of his son, at the end he was still Frank's flesh and bones. So to make him proud Ryan would use those months to their full consent. Besides at the end, no matter what his father did, he deserved to have a few happy months, didn't he.

"All right, why don't we go Wednesday?" Ryan questioned, and his father looked up happily seeing how his son took the charge of setting it up and took Wednesday which was only two days ahead. Maybe Frank had made this trip seem more bad in his head then it had really been.

"That's great." He replied, although deep down he knew his luck would only last that long, when Taylor would tell him about the beer, something that she might not know yet, but was far from a one time thing, or when they would discover everything about his so called disease, things would not continue going so well. Frank had now the luck of being given the positive of the doubt but his faults and mistakes would one day, if not soon erase that. He had to act quickly.


End file.
